15 A Promise To Fulfill

Heyo!

Here is the next chapter.

Hope you enjoy :)

[2365 words]

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Chapter 12

A promise To Fulfill

''But!...But you're!…'' Just as I was going to shout, I looked at Masa-jii 's eyes and all I could see was resolve. Seeing as I had no choice, I picked up the bokuto with a heavy heart.

''I'm sorry for being selfish, Arata…'' He said apologetically with sorrow laced in his voice.

''I'm used to it'' I joked to his apology with a cracking voice from holding back sobs.

''Thank you for fulfilling this old man's wish'' He said with a melancholic smile.

''You better, I'm going to beat you into a pulp for making me do this'' I said as tears ran down my face as I knew the reason as to why he wanted to do this.

''Hah, all you need to do is get one hit and break my defences, that is if you can'' He said in a defensive stance.

''Don't go crying to me when I do...'' I laughed sadly.

''Now Arata, focus. Focus your soul into each strike. Leave no openings for the opponent. Leave no opportunity untaken…and finally...''He instructed as I focused my all into the upcoming spar.

''KILL ME!''

The minute he said that I immediately dropped into an iai-goshi stance and activated Entei. Once I did I formed a lightning clone jutsu without shouting its words, not wanting to alert him to my plan. I formed four clones and once I did, I used the smoke formed from the jutsu as cover to transform myself and two clones into kunai. The two clones bombarded Masa-jii with kunai and shuriken, while specifically dropping one clone kunai in front and one behind him while throwing me to the ceiling.

The 2 clones closed in on him in both directions as he calmly stared at them both. The two tensed into tachi-ai stances forcing him into an evasive stance, but instead of attacking the two instead used lighting spiderweb jutsu. Masahiro jumps up to avoid being electrocuted, seeing as my plan worked I released the two other clones who were already in their Entei states. All four closed in on him, blocking all four of his directions and attacked him in mid-air.

'''''''Entei:ENMA!'''''' This was the only move I was able to create for my Entei style, it was an attack that focused all my speed and power into an execution style attack. All four clones rushed at Masa-jii with bokuto scorched with black fire that made no sound as they rushed at him.

''Reitei:Shinjin" seeing his situation, Masa-jii tensed his body mid air and bent his legs, and once the clones stepped into a certain range of him, all of them exploded into lighting, as Masahiro calmly sheathed his bokuto into his yukata.

His swordsmanship left me baffled, it was always obvious to me he was holding back a lot in our spars but to be able to use a domain technique like his with no place to stabilise oneself was in the realm of the impossible, and to think he was still holding back when he was in a critical state. It showed me how weak I was, but, that was something I already knew, it's why I formed this plan, in the first place.

I resolved myself once again and waited for Masa-jii to lower his guard mid-air. Masa-jii, trying to find me, continued to look around himself but he failed to look at the ceiling. Seeing my opportunity, I entered Raitei state and undid my transformation. Sensing my chakra, my grandfather looked up, only to see me staring into his eyes. I quickly activated my paralysis genjutsu and pushed off the ceiling and attacked with all my power.

''Reitei:NARUKAMI!'' I shout as I activate the derivative of Enma.

However, once my attack was about to reach him, he suddenly exploded into red electricity that shot me across the room, flinging me against the main entrance. When the explosion died down, I saw my grandfather standing there in Reitei state with an amused glint in his eyes and a cheeky grin.

''I haven't told you but there is another function for Reitei, it is to render most genjutsu useless. The minute a change in your chakra stability occurs, our chakra ring immediately restores it which in turn releases a lighting explosion that contains all of the previous chakra your body had absorbed and refilling your body with new chakra that you must stabilise once again'' He cheekily smiled.

''Although your plan certainly was good, but you forgot you are facing yours truly, the great Masahiro-sama, muahahah!''

Seeing him so cockily laugh in the face of death made me truly think that he was the only man in my life that would garner this much respect from me. He was a man I would continue to forever strive to reach, someone who could laugh with no fear on his face while battling death. Seeing him so arrogant, I had to return it in stride as well.

''Oh but pray tell why this Masahiro-sama was so surprised when I jumped at him from the ceiling, could it be…you didn't expect an attack from puny Arata'' I tease repressing my sorrow at the situation, causing him to immediately retort.

''It's called acting, you wouldn't know about it''

''It better not be acting when I surprise you again'' I say as I once again formed another four lightning clones, four of us entered weakened Entei with the small amount of chakra we had while one stayed behind in a transformed state so Masa-jii wouldn't notice him. Seeing me coming again, he activated his domain technique.

''Retei:Shinjin'' he calmly whispered, as all four of us rushed at him with our respective sword styles.

'''''''Entei:ENMA!'''''' We rushed at him with only afterimages following us, however, he calmly entered a tachi-ai stance waiting for us to enter his range. All four of us entered at the same time causing him to slightly pull his bokuto out and put it back before all of us could see. Three of the clones exploded into lightning, however, when I entered the domain I had already replaced my body with the other clone, causing me to escape his range.

Grasping the opportunity, I rushed at the distracted man with my Enma once again, this time without shouting the technique. All that could be seen from me was black blur as I rushed at him with all my power hoping to get a hit on him. My hopes were dashed as he calmly calmly stopped his domain mid execution and performed an evasive technique instead, something that shouldn't have been possible, but was done with ease from him. Truly showing me the pinnacle of swordsmanship that only a fair few could enter.

''Reitei:Shin'en''He whispered as he turned sideways and redirected my attack to the floor, causing it to explode into splinters. Unable to stop my momentum, I trip and tumble wildly off the floor while I try to regain my balance.

''Hohoho, this old man is having soooo much trouble~'' He said condescendingly to me.

Suppressing a scoff, I calmly analyse my situation. I only had 40% of my chakra left meaning I only had one more chance. I had to catch him off guard for my attack to reach him, however, if I get anywhere near him his domain will take me out easily, meaning I had to use a ranged attack that has the same speed as Narukami, so a ranged iai slash. I had no such techniques, meaning I had to come up with one right now and here, as the saying goes I need to surpass my limits and form a ranged iai slash.

But I had to set a plan where I could catch him off guard. The only time he was caught off guard, was when I used a genjutsu on him. Like he revealed, the only time he was distracted during his fight was when he needed to stabilize his chakra after the chakra explosion and that was my only chance to attack him successfully.

Finally reaching a conclusion, I quickly formulated a plan that utilised every technique in my arsenal. I used all my chakra to split off into six clones, two of which were hidden as senbons with me. All four remaining clones threw a barrage of senbon, while skillfully placing me and the clones at specific places. I was put right beside Masa-jii's domain, meaning if he moves even one bit I would be found, but I believed in his ability to easily take me on without moving. So while all four moved to perform the same four man assault as before as it was the only assault that would distract him the most. My other clone was slowly injecting a tiny but incredibly concentrated amount of yin chakra into him, something he would've noticed if not for the distraction. The other clone was placed on the ceiling, awaiting its turn to attack him.

Masahiro took care of each clone easily as they entered their domain, giving the clone on the ceiling the chance to use Narukami to attack him, something he easily swatted away with ease. However, the ceiling attack left him completely open from below, giving me the opportunity to attack him with Enma while he was distracted.

''ENMA!'' I shout wanting to attract his attention, to distract him from the invading yin chakra in his body. Hearing me, Masahiro instinctively attacked me with a body blow while his bokuto redirected the clone's attack on the ceiling to the floor. The body blow was much more powerful than expected as it broke multiple ribs and almost punctured one of my organs. I groveled on the ground in pain, whimpering, trying to get up to the best of my ability, not wanting to ruin my only chance.

Seeing me in so much pain, Masa-jii, most likely, thought I had lost, however, the surprise on his face gave me the much needed signal to prepare my attack as I quickly entered a bastardized Entei state with the minimal amount of chakra I had left. I focused my whole concentration on my body, putting all my chakra into my arms. I contracted all the muscles in my arms ready to take on the blow of the explosive acceleration that the fire chakra was going to give me. I kept my body tense as I took a few moments to imagine what I wanted to execute. What I wanted was for my attack to reach him in an instant, an attack that sacrificed its power for its range and speed. Understanding the concept of my technique, I waited for Masa-jii to dispel the simple genjutsu I had placed on him.

Once his body exploded into lighting I immediately drew my sword faster than my eyes could see and executed my final attack.

''Entei:HOU…''

But, I couldn't continue my attack. I couldn't take the opportunity. I couldn't after what I saw. Seeing his feeble body struggling to stand up, waiting for his death from my bokuto with a proud smile on his face, as if he knew I was going to reach this point. He just waited there, standing on shaky legs, as his body spasmed from all the techniques he forced upon it. He stood with a proud yet serene smile while mouthing thank you to me, awaiting his death.

The dam holding back my emotions broke as I just fell limply on the ground as I wailed and weeped. I couldn't take a life that had raised me with love without bias. I couldn't take the life of my only parent in both my lives. I couldn't look him in the eyes as I clutched the ground with tears streaming down my face. I was ashamed that I couldn't fulfill his last request, yet, I was also angry at him for trying to leave before he fulfilled his promise to me.

''You lied to me! You told me that we would drink together with a laugh on our faces before your death! You promised! Why were you ready to die there!'' I shouted as I clutched at any excuse to keep him alive.

''I knew it...You're too kind, Arata…after all, you're my grandson...I know you like the back of my hand'' he said with a shaky voice as he approached me.

''I already knew you wouldn't be able follow through, you're too kind to do it…'' He said as I looked up and all I saw was a proud smile on his face.

''That kindness is something precious in the world of shinobi, keep it protected deeply within your soul. You will kill many, you will hold a mountain of guilt on your back but keep living for all the people you kill. Never resort to suicide, never resort to such a cowardly death to escape the pain, but before all of that, never indulge in the death of others''

''Hold that guilt and continue to walk forward with a smile on your face, laugh with that guilt on your back. Eventually your kindness and smile will attract many people, and once you find a family, share this heavy burden with them, that's why they're there'' He said as he stretched out a hand to me.

I just looked at his calloused hands, hands that told many stories of his long life, a long and arduous one. I stretched out my hands weakly, ones that were afraid of losing him. He clasped them with a strong grip that reassured me, that filled me with affection and safety, a grip that swallowed all my worries into nothingness. I held his hand as I sunk into the feeling of his safety one last time, before his departure from this world. Engraving it into my soul one last time.

''Now, let's go have a drink. We have a promise to fulfill, don't we?''

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-Reitei=Lightning Emperor

-Entei=Flame Emperor

-Enma=King of hell

-Narukami=Japanese Lightning God

-Houou=Phoenix

-Shinjin=Divine Formation

-Shin'en=Divine Swallow